Just got back from Anita Andrews

[LibertyEagle]

You are acting like an authoritarian concerning this discussion.

Whether or not the Paul Campaign has hired Andrews, the point is that the cats are already out of the bag, and it is a little late for any reasonable person to assume that those cats are going to be lined up in neat little rows and columns and sent marching off in lock step.

Advice is always welcome, if it's actually advice. Andrews is welcome to the movement, but her value is not automatically higher than any other volunteer.

Let her value be measured like any one else's via hard work and results. If her ideas work, those ideas will have self evident value and be welcomed.

All I am asking is that you wait until you know what you are talking about before dismissing what she is doing. I wouldn't be stressing this so much, but the campaign obviously thinks this training is important. Don't you think we should respect them enough to actually SEE IT, before making a judgment about it?

If you call that authoritarian, so be it.

 

[constituent]

then the best first move would have been to let the thread die rather than throw your two cents in...

just mine.

 

[Nash]

-She threatened to sue anyone who gave her materials away.

I don't understand. She didn't fully disclose her credentials to you guys and then won't let you pass along the strategy she gave you on a message board?

Why did the campaign hire her again? What's the point of having this person if we can't even discuss the information she's supposed to be giving out?

By the way I'm not suggesting this person doesn't have something to offer, just all those caveats seem bizarre to me.

 

[Kuldebar]

All I am asking is that you wait until you know what you are talking about before dismissing what she is doing. I wouldn't be stressing this so much, but the campaign obviously thinks this training is important. Don't you think we should respect them enough to actually SEE IT, before making a judgment about it?

If you call that authoritarian, so be it.

No, I don't think what you just said is "authoritarian".

I just think you are missing my point in regards to checks and balances.

Let's say the Ron Paul Campaign believes and states that Andrews is best thing since sliced bread. OK, fine.

But, if people going to hear her lecture come away with opinions like the OP, it may be a sign of a problem.

We talk about out of control government and the lack of constraint or adequate check and balances. Well, view our liberty inspired grassroots movement as the ultimate check and balance system.

Every single one of us has a Bull Shit Detector, yes, each one is set differently and triggered by different things, but if the Campaign makes any missteps we are the only ones who can catch them before they fall. Not that we change their strategies but that we may choose to nullify what we don't like by taking our own path.

We are the safety net.

We can second guess, discuss, argue and passionately support whatever they do.

 

[LibertyEagle]

Yes, but please not on a PUBLIC FORUM. geez.

 

[Spirit of '76]

Somebody please get Ms. Andrews on this board to clarify things from her point of view and to get some advice from ours.

 

[MozoVote]

During the Josh Lowery dispute I was willing to say we should be willing to cooperate with the official campaign's wishes (don't call and harass the Iowa GOP about vote fraud).

This sounds like even less. We don't even know what we're debating.

Let it wait until Monday. It's not too much to ask... to just learn what her recommendations are, and to decide if they are something you want to incorporate into grassroots politicking. Remember, the campaign can't tell us what to do, or else we "are" the campaign and it brings in all kinds of FEC bugaboos.

 

[LibertyEagle]

Communications with the National Campaign

Quote:
In the interest of preventing the disinformation and speculation that manifested itself on this forum regarding, for example, Anita Andrews and her role with the campaign, I have created a "Contact Me" link at the top of my blog so that questions such as this can be quickly and easily answered.

http://freemansburden.blogspot.com/

Please feel free to ask me if you have a question about staff, the campaign, or any issue relating to Dr. Paul. Understand that I am still bound by the constraints of federal law and propriety so my answers may not always be satisfying, but I hope it will be helpful in keeping everyone focused on the task at hand, helping Dr. Paul win this race!

I also want to take a second and thank all of you for your hard work and your efforts on behalf of the campaign and the freedom movement.

Don Rasmussen
Special Assistant
Ron Paul 2008 PCC

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=15173

 

[micahnelson]

Legal Info:

1) If there is direction to the grass roots from the campaign, they will likely be in violation of FEC rules. Since we know that the FEC is becoming just another tool in the candidates arsenals against each other, we need to steer clear of this.

2) If a "mole" goes to an Anita Andrews workshop, takes our strategy or ideas and uses it, it could be negative to us. Using an NDA protects us from this sort of thing, as other campaigns may be scared to be caught doing dirty deeds.

3) Not EVERYTHING is a conspiracy.

4) If you don't like her ideas, don't like the mainstream signs, and don't want to be involved.... then don't be. Shes only as "authoritarian" as you want her to be. We are doing well in the nonmainstream style campaign, but some people need to be reached in a more traditional way.

If anita andrews was just another person on this board, you would support her effort and get personally involved if you agreed with her. Im sure not everyone donates or participates in every effort put forth here. Just treat it as that, another person getting involved.

She isn't going to try and "take over" the grass roots because legally she can't.

 

[njjack]

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=15173

The contact me link leads to a hotmail account;

[email protected] <[email protected]>

um i guess they didnt want to give us a ronpaul2008.com email address to contact?

 

[Kuldebar]

During the Josh Lowery dispute I was willing to say we should be willing to cooperate with the official campaign's wishes (don't call and harass the Iowa GOP about vote fraud).

This sounds like even less. We don't even know what we're debating.

Let it wait until Monday. It's not too much to ask... to just learn what her recommendations are, and to decide if they are something you want to incorporate into grassroots politicking. Remember, the campaign can't tell us what to do, or else we "are" the campaign and it brings in all kinds of FEC bugaboos.

Entirely reasonable if we hadn't heard from one person concerning his thoughts after having attended an Andrews Event.

I agree, it's just one person, but we should be vigilant about this and keep our ears and eyes trained on a potential problem.

If the OP's statements are factual, then Andrews seems to have some deficiencies in regards to people skills and possibly some wrong headed ideas about interfacing with the freedom movement.

As the Campaign grows in success it becomes more and more likely that some missteps can be made in hiring or communication of intent.

We must act as an early warning device for the campaign. The quintessential canary in the coal mine.

Not that one outraged post is a "warning" but the truth bubbles up and out...if more people who attended the event think as the OP does or more importantly disagrees, they can chime in here.

 

[JosephTheLibertarian]

First off, she has some good stuff to say and a lot of good training for those have never worked on a campaign before. I would encourage everyone to go.

However, there was something a bit off with her whole presentation.

Basically,I got the idea that this was her first chance to consult a national campaign, so she took it. But she isn't sure she wants to really, fully be associated with Ron Paul. (Hence, her name not being on the webpage untill recently, her email is not a Ron Paul email, etc.)

Also, she made a number of wierd statements:

-She threatened to sue anyone who gave her materials away.
-She claimed she worked on a campaign that was outspent 32 million to 300 thousand and still won. Only senate campaigns reach the 30 million mark. There has not been that big of a senate upset in decades.
-She claims she worked on a campaign in which the headquarters were blown up.


Anyways, I know there was alot of talk about her. Just my 2 cents.

where is it located? Who is this lady?

 

[FloridaRonPaul2008]

Liberty…I have been and seen it!

Just for the record: everything I wrote was about how the information was good, but it was a weird environment.

And she did say that the campaign wants to head away from the RP Revolution signs. I'm not making judgment either way on that, just saying it. She analogized it to McDonald's.... “YOU may be able to cook a better burger, but McDonald's uniform, all-the-same burgers are successful”...or something like that.

Also, someone straight up ask her about her connection to the campaign at the beginning of the event. It would have been a great time for her just to talk about her experiences (i.e. what campaigns she has worked on, her training, how she got hired, education…things like that) . Instead she said very shortly…”have you heard of Ken Snyder? Well he sent me.” Just sort of a strange way to make connections with supporters.

Also, I still want to know about the 30 million to 300k campaign!

 

[JosephTheLibertarian]

Is this located in Florida?

 

[FloridaRonPaul2008]

where is it located? Who is this lady?

It was in Kissimmee Florida, outside of Orlando.

 

[Ann Kobialka]

We have approximately 150 days till the primaries {minus the holidays coming at us fast} if we try to move to a conventional campaign organized by pricincts {of registered republicans} and a traditional get out the vote organization of the same said registered republicans we are going to be looking very nice in our uniformed attire and our approved signs as the nomination goes down the drain in front of us. We have to remain wildcatters and bring in the independents, dems and disenfranchised. We do not have the time money or resourses to go conventional. It looks good on paper, but its not there. Ann A democrat who has gotten at least 20 democrats in 4 states reregistered for Dr. Paul

 

[njjack]

It was in Kissimmee Florida, outside of Orlando.

How many people showed up?

 

[phixonpolitics]

I don't take too much offense at the sign issue. I truly like the r3VOLution sign and it will continue to have its place, but it does lack a major piece of information that now needs to be promulgated. (That is, Ron Paul is a Presidential Candidate for 2008). There are phases, and congratulate yourselves that your hard grass roots (actually, breaking up rocky soil) efforts have succeeded! And it's onto the next phase. The campaign may be trying to help you help them, because this is what we both want. They also may know a little bit about electioneering, I dunno. Part of our donations went for helping to get the appropriate pieces a bit more professional and polished, and as Congressman Ron Paul gets cleaner, clearer, and more polished as the season goes on, maybe we can too (of course, some of the youtube vids and that Iowa straw poll ad just can't be beat). Just my opinion, is all.

 

[FloridaRonPaul2008]

How many people showed up?

About 100. It was pretty big.

 

[Kuldebar]

Comments about the Meet with Anita Andrews from the Ron Paul 2008 Campaign event in Chicago Illinois.

There's not many comments, but all appear to be favorable.

"Excellent class on campaigning. Everything Anita said made sense...and I realize we have been doing many things incorrectly, which we can easily change. Remember folks, we are under non-disclosure for everything we heard in that class...but we'll need to spread the word (with non-disclosure statements) to those who couldn't attend."